ADA COUNTY, Idaho — Meet two local bookworms who are helping increase access to books in our neighborhoods.
- About half of Idaho kids aren't ready for Kindergarten reading levels when starting school.
- Kuna's Book Habit is a locally owned bookstore. They have seasonal reading programs where kids can win a book.
- Ada Community Library has several branches, as well as outreach programs to increase childhood literacy.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
“I read a lot on how important you know childhood literacy is because it helps fuel imagination and communication,” said Bryan McBee.
McBee opened Kuna’s Book Habit bookstore when he saw a need for better access to books in the community.
“We’ve seen kids come in and look over here to start with then move over to our middle grade [books]” explained McBee.
“Chapter books? Graduating from picture to chapter book,” said Reporter Allie Triepke.
“Exactly,” replied McBee.
As a book lover, author, and father himself, McBee tells Idaho News 6 how important reading is for kids, “I think it’s just vital, to encourge childhood literacy.”
At Ada Community Library, Outreach Librarian Jana Hill spends her days out working in communities to increase accessibility to books and early learning programs.
“We have a really high priority on early literacy, especially in those early formative years so, we partner with several childcare and preschool providers throughout the valley,”
She says when it comes to reading at grade level, around half of Idaho kids are already behind when they start Kindergarten.
“A lot of socioeconomic barriers, which could mean that they don’t have access to books in their home. So, some of the grants that we do is to send books home with kids from school.”
She and her team want to bring books to those in need, so they hear more stories like this: “And he said, ‘I am seeing them [students] love reading more!’,” said Hill as she shared a story about a local preschool director who just finished a summer reading program.
Back at the Kuna Book Habit, McBee takes pride in donating reading materials to local students, encouraging kids to participate in their summer and winter reading programs where the reward is a free book!
“It fuels imagination at the very least. The more you can encourage that in children, the better off they are in the long run. I feel because it aids them in learning and understanding, and then also you know communicating what they’ve learned,” said McBee.
